New Cars: It's Alive CD Track Listing

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New Cars It's Alive (2006)
2006 Eleven Seven Music/10th Street Entertainment\n\nOriginally Released June 6, 2006 \n\nAMG EXPERT REVIEW: It's easy to be skeptical of reunions of classic rock bands, especially when they're lacking such crucial members as the group's two lead singers and songwriters. There have been plenty of embarrassing reunions of this nature -- ranging from Creedence Clearwater Revisited to the David Byrne-less Heads -- so the initial prospect of the Cars getting back together without their frontman and songwriter Ric Ocasek and the deceased Ben Orr doesn't seem enticing, or even logical. But Cars guitarist Elliot Easton and keyboardist Greg Hawkes do something unexpected for the New Cars, their cleverly named reunion of 2006: they hired a strong personality to fill the shoes of Ocasek. They've brought in Todd Rundgren, a pop maverick and chameleon who never quite ran in the same circles as the Cars -- his late-'70s arena rock band Utopia occasionally played shows with the Cars, but he never had the same quirky, nervy new wave sensibility of Ocasek -- to front the band, and he in turn brought in Utopia's bassist Kasim Sulton and Tubes drummer Prairie Prince to fill out the lineup. Rundgren smartly treats this gig as work-for-hire and fits into the requirements of the job instead of trying to bend the Cars to fit his style. He's always been a musical magpie, piecing together elements from other artists as either homage or parody, and he easily blends into the Cars' sound, as the 2006 album It's Alive proves. Essentially a live album with three bonus tracks, this record doesn't stray from the original recordings, nor does it improve on them, but the band is surprisingly natural and enjoyable. Without Ocasek as frontman, it's possible to really appreciate what Easton and Hawkes brought to their band; the blend of guitar and synth make this unmistakably the sound of the Cars. Prince and Sulton give the band a slightly heavier backbeat than the original Cars and Rundgren manages to capture Ocasek's cadences without mimicking him -- he serves the song, and he certainly helps this set be thoroughly enjoyable. A couple of Todd songs are thrown in for good measure -- a nice reading of "I Saw the Light" that's trumped by an excellent "Open My Eyes" -- and the new song "Not Tonight" shows up in both live and studio incarnations, and it's quite good in both, a good replication of the classic Cars sound and Rundgren's impish humor. Two other new studio recordings are here -- a slow-rolling ballad called "Warm" and an insistent anthem called "More," both of which sound like fusions of Cars and Utopia from 1982, which is hardly a bad thing -- and they're good enough to suggest that far from being just an oldies act, this New Cars could come up with a nifty little album if they choose to follow up their 2006 tour with a real record. Until then, It's Alive functions as a good appetizer for the tour: it's not earth-shaking, but it's far better than nearly any other reunion of this kind, and at the very least it suggests that if you lay your money down for a night out with the New Cars, you're guaranteed a good time. -- Stephen Thomas Erlewine\n\nAmazon.com Editorial Review\nWhat stands out more when listening to this revival of the Cars and their cherished, iconic repertoire? The absence of the band's founding mastermind, chief vocalist/songwriter Ric Ocasek? Or the presence of Todd Rundgren, a semi-deified pop legend, as his replacement? It's Todd, by a landslide. Staunch Ocasek loyalists may argue that It's Alive--consisting of 15 live tracks (12 of them vintage Cars tunes) and three new studio cuts--is a disservice to the Boston band's legacy, but that looms as a minority viewpoint. Culled from three performances on a Southern California soundstage, the album unites two original band members (Elliot Easton on guitar and Greg Hawkes on keys--who, unlike Ocasek and original drummer David Robinson, still yearn to perform the group's music live) with Rundgren, bassist Kasim Sulton (who worked harmonic magic with Rundgren in Utopia) and drummer Prairie Prince (the Tubes). The result is an energetic paean to the Cars' power-pop heritage, capturing the band's classic feel-good vibe with all cynical subtexts intact. Rundgren, no stranger to creating mirror-like tributes to other artists' works (see 1976's Faithful), oversees almost note-for-note replications of Cars standards while slipping a little manic bite into selected lyrics ("You're All I've Got Tonight," "Bye Bye Love"). Two older Todd compositions--"Open My Eyes" (from his Nazz days) and "I Saw the Light"--make the cut, and amusingly it's the latter song, not a Cars track, on which he makes a brief lyrical flub. Rundgren is an inspired choice to fill Ocasek's role of wry lyrical observer, particularly with Sulton aboard as his heaven-sent harmonic foil. (The latter admirably handles lead vocals on "Drive," late bassist Benjamin Orr's signature song.) This disc's crucial new material--two thoughtful, midtempo, harmony-rich pieces and "Not Tonight," a witty, upbeat spin on 28-hour workdays--suggests the New Cars could be a worthy vehicle for Rundgren's polished pop instincts should the group stick together beyond summer touring. That may lead fans to start echoing the sentiment of this disc's closing track: "I want more." --Terry Wood\n\nAMAZON.COM CUSTOMER REVIEW\nSorry I'm a purist, September 25, 2006\nReviewer: The Real McCoy (Slatington, PA)\nI am a huge fan of the CARS from day one. I tried to like this but can't I was ready to hit the concert too. I just can't. (Easton busted his collar bone so tour cancelled)Yeah Easton is an excellent guitar player. Hawkes too great keyboards. But missing the other 3 guys it just isn't the CARS. The vocals no less. They can be a cover band but no more. Ben Orr had a voice that can not be copied. God rest his soul. Ric is an excellent songwriter. The band was formed by Ocasek and ORR. When Ben died it really was the end. The thought that these guys would even try is very sad. It is like seeing the Beach Boys today. They are not what they once were. \n\nAMAZON.COM CUSTOMER REVIEW\nThe Best Live Cars Release You'll Ever Hear, September 15, 2006\nReviewer: Sir "Potomus" (Sandy Beach, Colorado)\nRic Ocasek doesn't like to tour. Todd Rundgren had some bills to pay and he always liked the Car's music. I really don't care what his reasons were for joining Elliot Easton and Greg Hawkes, as long as it sounded good. I think it bothered me more when Easton played with CCR revisited, but it was the only way that CCR fans could hear their songs live at the time and somehow they sounded good without lead guitarist/singer John Fogerty. \n\nI only have two complaints to make about this CD. First, Kasim Sultan is a good singer, but his voice sounds too pretty on "Drive" and it makes it sound like an Air Supply ditty. Second, they could have covered other Rundgren songs better adapted to the Car's sound like "Forget all About It" or "Couldn't I Just Tell You". The new song, "Not Tonight," is a perfect mesh of the original Cars style and Rungren's music, mainly because it sounds like it could have been released on one of his solo albums too. \n\nAMAZON.COM CUSTOMER REVIEW\nThis COULD have sucked and I WAS skeptical, but this WORKS!!!, 9/7/2006\nReviewer: Larry Davis "powerpoplarry" (NYC/Long Island, NY)\nAll I say is wow wow WOW!!! This is one record that breaks so many rules and is so many exceptions that it could have sunk with the weight of so much negativity. I mean, on paper, the NEW Cars looks like a crash test dummy in a car ready to hit a wall. Look at it: 2 original members out of 5 and none were the lead singers or main songwriters, and in Ric Ocasek's, the late Ben Orr's and David Robinson's place are vets Todd Rundgren, Kasim Sulton and Prairie Prince??? In 999 out of 1000 times, this would suck. \n\nLooks like a hybrid cash-in for money, along the lines of Queen with Paul Rodgers (which mostly sucked as I hate Paul Rodgers although Free was OK). And the new Doors (now Riders On The Storm) with the Cult's Ian Astbury on vocals taking over for the departed Jim Morrison is up for debate. \n\nI was as skeptical to the point of saying it sucked without even giving the NEW Cars a chance. Well, not only does it work, but it's actually frikking AWESOME and choosing Todd Rundgren as Ric's replacement??? Pretty inspired and a brilliant fit. I mean, nobody else would be able to pull off a stunt like this. The closest I can think of is Audioslave, where Rage Against The Machine replaced the departed Zach De La Rocha with Soundgarden's Chris Cornell and make it work, so much so that they just released their 3rd album this week, "Revelations". Yeah, they still sound like a Rage/Soundgarden hybrid, but are now sounding like a new beast altogether, like a hard rock/soul hybrid, a hard rock band that Beyonce fans would dig. \n\nBack to the New Cars. Yes, this venture works partly because Todd sounds like a hybrid of Ric AND Ben, but also their artful powerpop songwriting styles compliment each other. When you think about it, Todd's classic material like "I Saw The Light", "Hello It's Me" and "One Small Victory", songwritingwise, are not much different from the classic Cars tunes, and Todd takes to them naturally. Add Elliot's and Greg's signature styles on guitar and keyboards and unique background harmonies and, my gosh, these sound close enough to the classic Cars sound to pass muster and go beyond mere Karaoke versions. Those airy harmonies are what do the trick. \n\nThis record, "It's Alive" is a logical first step for the New Cars. Basically, it's a live album, and generally, I'm not big on live albums...I'd rather see the show on video, but this is necessary, as it shows Todd can fit the role, and that his voice and rhythm guitar playing sound good on classic Cars hits like "Just What I Needed" and fan favourites like mine, "Dangerous Type". I love the sound of the new lineup live. It's louder, more rocking and more in your face than the original recordings, which were slicker and possibly more sterile and detached. Don't get me wrong, I love the Cars records, as this detachedness is a cool counterpoint to the sharp writing and singing by Ric, singing and bass playing by Ben and guitar playing of Elliot, BUT it didn't bode well to a live setting, as past tours have proven to be dull and boring. THIS live New Cars record is how the CLASSIC Cars should have sounded live when they played in their heyday, with a nice dose of fun, exuberance and energy. HOWEVER, seeing Ric live in 1997 on his "Troublizing" mini-tour, with Greg on keys, Bad Religion's Brian Baker on lead guitar, Nada Surf's Ira Elliot on drums and Hole's/Smashing Pumpkins' Melissa Auf Der Maur on bass (and she did sing lead vocals on "Drive" wonderfully, but no Billy Corgan), their sound was as loud as this New Cars live album, but still with a cool detachment, not as much energy. The 2 Todd classics are a nice touch, showing this is not just about Elliot's and Greg's legacy, but Todd's too, as he is a bandmember with a brilliant catalogue and past. Just like how, when Audioslave plays live, they do Audioslave tunes but also Rage songs and Soundgarden/Chris solo songs. \n\nWhat seals the deal here though, and the proof that this is no mere nostalgia act, are the 3 new songs, "Not Tonight", "Warm" and "More"...all fresh songwriting collabs between Todd, Elliot and Greg. "Not Tonight" is an instant classic, catchy, direct, punchy and irresistible, a contender for single of the year, 2006, and it's like classic Cars with a twist of Todd. Those harmonies on the bridge seal the deal and make you think, wow The Cars are back...OOPS the New Cars are here I mean, haha, and I am torn which is better, the studio or live version, as both rock. "Warm" is a hypnotic, keyboard-heavy, moody ballad with a gorgeous chorus, and "More" is a Toddish rocker. All nice nice very nice, and makes you anticipate a full-lengther of all new material from the New Cars. \n\nOne last note, the live version of "Drive", beautifully sung by Kasim Sulton (who knew he had a great voice??) does Ben justice, but now Kasim departed the New Cars to go back with Meat Loaf for his Bat Out Of Hell III album and tour. Kasim, wow, he was in all Todd-led bands and projects like Utopia and Meat Loaf's band, but he was also in Joan Jett & The Blackhearts with his drummer partner Thommy Price, and they did a project together in the 80s, Price & Sultan, and many other reunions...the dude's been around. Oh and Prairie Prince is a killer drummer...so is Kenny Aronoff, who's played with everybody since being in John Mellencamp's band...Kenny plays drums on the studio version of "Not Tonight" and "More", in case you were wondering. \n\nYes there are purists, and I agree, I can be one of them, but sometimes you have to put those feelings aside and have an open mind to see if something works...you just might enjoy the New Cars, purism be damned...RIP Ben Orr, now pick up the reissue of "The Lace" out on Wounded Bird, woohoo!!! And Elliot's "Change No Change" also on Wounded Bird with those same 5 bonus tracks.\n\nAMAZON.COM CUSTOMER REVIEW\nThis one is a Hybrid., July 26, 2006\nReviewer: Sonicbaker (California)\nI liked the Cars because of: \n1. Ric Ocasek's songwriting \n2. Elliot Easton's guitar riffery \n3. Greg Hawkes poppy, but spacy and tasteful synths \n4. Ben Orr's lead vocals & Ric Ocaseks' lead vocals. \n5. The backup vocals \n\nWhat you get with the New Cars is 1,2,3 and almost 5 (Ben's contribution is missed) on my list. So far so good. And, this would be 3 1/2 stars for those reasons. \n\nAnd while Todd Rundgren does a very admirable job handling all the vocals except Drive, also admirably handled by replacement bass player, Kasim Sulton....its just a fact of rock and roll life that the lead vocals usually give a band its main identity with rare exception. Anything else is, at best, a tribute to them...at worst, a butchery...I'd classify this as a tribute. \n\nSo, its really up to you to decide how meaningful that is. I saw the Cars on the Heartbeat City tour and their sound was kinda sterile, even dull at times...a little too slick, too perfect. This New Cars band sounds like I would imagine the Cars sounded earlier in the career...a little rawer, rough around the edges...a bit more energy. I also came away from this recording realizing how much Elliot Easton's personality resonates in his guitar playing...just like a lead vocalist, a great guitar player's riffs might be able to be technically copied by another player, but there is no replacement for the personality behind them...you need the original guy for that. \n\nAbout halfway through the album, though, I got antsy with it....and it created a deep desire in me to go and find a good live recording of the "real" Cars. Not sure if that was the intended effect...but my search is on.\n\nAMAZON.COM CUSTOMER REVIEW\nFrozen Fire, July 8, 2006\nReviewer: Pasko1 "pasko1" (Bergen County, the jewel of NJ)\nI REALLY WANTED TO HATE THIS ALBUM, BUT...as a Cars fan for 25+ years, I can honestly say that this is the great Cars Live album that never was. I have listened to their songs *MANY* times and I'll be damned if Todd doesn't sound close enough to Ric and Ben (RIP) to be equivalent to the real thing. \n\nOthers have commented that the sound on this album is a bit too hard and distorted. To me, it's as if a layer of Roy Thomas Baker-brand syrup has been removed from some of the songs and we're hearing them as the band and the Almighty originally intended them. As much as I love the original versions, I don't miss the Simmons drums on various numbers or the cheesy handclaps in "Let's Go." \n\nAs another reviewer wrote, this album is proof that Greg and Elliot's sound are even more integral to the Cars' sound than we always thought. Combined with a solid rhythm section such as Kasim and Prairie and this is no cover band. Honestly, how many bands retain their original lineup for 28 years? Who's to say that eventually solo projects, etc. would have forced personnel changes anyhow? \n\nAgain, I've been a fan since back in the day. I remember going to my local independent RECORD store and asking if they had that new album, Panorama -- so spare me the indignant hairshirt responses.\n\nAMAZON.COM CUSTOMER REVIEW\nYou might think I'm crazy..., July 6, 2006\nReviewer: todd "3-LOCKBOX" (WA USA)\nNo, this isn't The Cars; it can't be. Ben Orr died 5 years ago, and Ocasek stopped wanting anything to do with The Cars after Heartbeat City (as the dreadful Door To Door showed). So considering the absence of these two main players you'd think this venture would suck, and despite what many of the reviews here would suggest, it doesn't. Two of the original members, Elliot Easton and Greg Hawkes (essentially, the 'sound' of The Cars) are on hand along with former Tubes drummer Prarie Prince and former Utopia bassist Kasim Sultan. And in an odd turn of events, the lead singer role is filled by Todd Rungren, and a more than adequate job he does. He so very closely apes both Ocasek and Orr that you'd think it was an old Cars boot if you didn't know better. The whole band is as tight as any long touring band out there and why wouldn't they be? They're as talented as any touring band out there. \n\nSo to grip over whether these guys deserve to tour as The New Cars and play old Cars tunes is a waste of time, as well as stupid. This disc shows that this gig is as relevent as any other revival tour. And the three new bonus studio cuts show that if these guys ever decide to make a studio album, they'll be more successful than a lot of the '80s bands have been. All three songs are very much in the Cars vein and all three songs are gems. When Rungren is focused, he's still a superb writer of great pop. And when he's singiing these old Cars songs, he treats them with repsect. \n\nIf and when these guys release a new album, I'll be all over it. And I'll go see'em live if they come my way. If you liked The Cars, go see these guys. It'll be a blast.\n\nAMAZON.COM CUSTOMER REVIEW\nLess than the sum of its parts, June 17, 2006\nReviewer: Tim Brough "author and music buff" (Springfield, PA United States)\nCarred Rundgren. Cartopia. Car-a-oke. Call it what you want, but it ain't the Cars. And it ain't much of a Rundgren album, either. With Todd Rundgren and Kasim Sulton standing in for Ric Ocasek and the late Ben Orr (and Prairie Prince of The Tubes on drums), original Cars Elliot Easton and Greg Hawkes do the minor name change game and set off to remake and remodel their meal ticket. While it might make for a good summer concert (saw them - in the pouring rain! - with Blondie in NYC, and it was fun), on record, the slips start showing. \n\nTodd does a passable Ocasek, but he's always been a good mimic. (Remember "Deface The Music" or "Faithful" and their splendid recreations?) Without the excitement of being there, that's all you have on "It's Alive." Real good mimicry. Todd dusts off a Nazz nugget, "Open My Eyes," and his own greatest hit, "I Saw The Light," while Sulton takes Orr's place on "Drive." But don't be fooled. There is nothing about "It's Alive" that sports any of Rundgren's iconic genius and it was Ocasek's dry sense of art that gave the Cars a lot of their verve. (And Hawkes' keyboards are way down in the mix...what's up with that?) \n\nAs for the new songs, only "Not Tonight" measures up. It sounds like an Ocasek written tune, which means it clicks like a Cars' song would have back in the day. "More" and "Warm" fit more into Rundgren's classicist Beatlesque rock than the Cars' Roxy/Bowie fissions. In years to come, these Cars and "It's Alive" will not be viewed as classics, but just as old clunkers with a buff job.\n\nAMAZON.COM CUSTOMER REVIEW\nlove Todd, and love the original Cars, but The New Cars sound like a passionless cash-in attempt, June 13, 2006\nReviewer: Dave "missing person" (United States)\nWow, where does one even start with this... \n\nGreg Hawkes and Elliot Easton DESPERATELY wanted a reunion of the surviving Cars members. I can imagine the steam that was coming out of Easton's ears in frustration with all these Cars-wannabe bands like No Doubt and the Fountains of Wayne littering the musical landscape, with the REAL Cars meanwhile remaining inactive. But the reunion just wasn't happening--Ric Ocasek hates touring, and drummer David Robinson owns a restaurant and seems happily retired from the music business. \n\nElliot Easton HUNGERS to play live. And he's no stranger to playing with a quasi-reformed variation of a hugely popular band--this is a guy who spent much of the '90 playing live gigs with Creedence Clearwater Revisited, a group that included the original Creedence Clearwater Revival rhythm section, but of course, no John Fogerty. \n\nSo, with Ocasek's participation out of the question, and Ben Orr already deceased, that wasn't about to stop Easton, and it probably hit him like a ton of lead who the ideal replacement man for them would be: Todd Rundgren. \n\nWhat do I mean when I say Todd was the ideal choice? Well, when you think about it, it's a no-brainer, beyond the mere fact that Todd has a legion of fanatical followers that would help give The New Cars visibility. Elliot had worked with Todd before, and Elliot is no dumbbell--he obviously knew a thing or two about Todd's musical past. Don't get me wrong here, I'm a BIG fan of Todd Rundgren--the man is a musical prodigy with an infectious passion for music. However, it is seemingly this very passion of his that leads him to engage in these various 'artist clone' projects every now and then--for concrete proof, check out Todd's exacting recreations of landmark '60s songs on 'side 1' of his 1976 album "Faithful", or the album's worth of deliberate Beatles' soundalikes on Utopia's 1980 album "Deface The Music". And now, Todd is at it again with The New Cars--I mean, how could Todd RESIST the chance to impersonate both Ocasek AND Orr, not to mention make a nice pile of green in the process. \n\nSo, what we have here is "It's Alive", released a week ago today, the majority of which consists of live takes of most of The Cars' biggest radio hits. I'm a big fan of the original Cars as well, and I'll admit that I was really looking forward to hearing this, but now I feel like I should have known better. I actually did listen to every track of this album in its entirety, and it seems hard to believe that Todd sees this gig as anything but a cash-in stunt--he's got his Ben Orr vocal impersonation down to the point where it sounds like a parody. After listening to it all, I get to thinking that Easton is torn--one on hand, he's acting like The New Cars really are a continuation of the original Cars legacy, yet on the other, he's careful to point out that 3/5 of The Cars' members are missing and that the new band should be judged on their own terms, and I end up pitying the guy--he proved himself to be a masterful lead guitarist in the original Cars, and he seems like one of the nicest guys around, but he's gone off the rails here; it's like he's so excited to be on tour with Hawkes and Rundgren that he just doesn't realize that The New Cars end up sounding like a faceless bar-band imitation of the original Cars... New material aside, there are no even remotely surprising songs choices in the entire track listing, and the live versions have basically no alterations to the original studio arrangements whatsoever, just tossing off one tune after another with the amps at 11, giving the whole album a pathetically desperate "we want to please the crowd" vibe. Todd's vocals tend to get buried, as if he wasn't close enough to the microphone, and in any case, he sounds like he's phoning it in. And don't even get me started on Greg Hawkes--his keyboards are almost always drowned out by the guitars, and quite frankly, it sounds like he isn't even PLAYING at all much of the time. \n\nUnsurprisingly, a couple of Todd tunes are thrown into the mix, including a version of "I Saw The Light" where Todd sounds like he could hardly be any sicker of the song. \n\nThe album hits a serious low point with a dismal, careless-sounding version of "Drive". This is the only song on the CD where Todd doesn't take the lead vocal. Instead, bass guitarist Kasim Sulton (a longtime associate of Rundgren) steps to the mike and serves up a painfully overwrought vocal. \n\nAdding insult to injury is that the new material is a bust. There are 3 new songs--each of them written by the battery of Rundgren, Easton, and Hawkes--with "Not Tonight" present in both live and studio versions, and the remaining pair being studio recordings. The lame, insubtantial, and un-catchy pop-rockers "Not Tonight" and "More" just as well be by the Fountains of Wayne. "More" has a really annoying, overly slick harmonized chorus. As for "Warm", it's a boring, underwritten, generic adult contemporary ballad--totally forgettable. These guys seriously intend to follow-up "It's Alive" with an album of all new material?? Good grief. I highly doubt Rundgren will stick with The New Cars long enough for that to happen--he doesn't sound like he has a long-term investment in the group at all, and this new material, to put it gently, is beneath a man of his caliber (whether he stays with the group or not). \n\nI can't even believe how much listening to "It's Alive" album made me YEARN for the REAL Cars. About halfway through "It's Alive", I turned it off and popped in the Cars' first album, and regardless of how many times I've heard the original version of "Moving In Stereo", it was like a burdon being lifted off my shoulders to hear the real deal. \n\nI tip my hat to Ric Ocasek and David Robinson for not taking part in this 'reunion'. If you haven't already done so, pick up Ric's 2005 solo album "Nexterday", a must for any true Cars fan, and a real artistic slap in the face of "It's Alive". \n\nSo, let's see... They're using a variation on their original Cars name; coming up with new material that mindlessly milks classic Cars; and then wallowing in by-numbers renditions of "just the hits" for the remainder of their repertoire--sure smells like a flat-out cash-in, and hardly the way to go about giving yourself a new identity which Easton seems to think he has a chance at acheiving. \n\nI can't believe I was originally excited about The New Cars. If you're hoping to find "fresh" versions of your old Cars favorites, forget it--stick with the originals because these new takes are worthlessly redundant, decent background music at best. There's some marginal camp value in here, but for all intents and purposes, "It's Alive" cannot be recommended.
This rock cd contains 18 tracks and runs 71min 59sec.
Freedb: 0010dd12
Buy: from Amazon.com

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